I love the warm colors, and flavors, of fall. I’m always excited when I start to see a variety of winter squashes and crisp apples appear in the stores. Winter squashes are a great, safe starch- they are affordable, and there are an amazing array of tastes, textures, and colors available.

My Harvest Casserole has been a favorite in our family for years, and somehow I have never blogged about it! This is a great meal to make ahead, and just pop in the oven before dinner, so it is great for a busy family. It is also a wonderful meal to share with others, when a friend has a new baby or an illness in the house. It freezes well, too. It is a comforting mixture of butternut squash, crisp apples, raisin, and ground beef, a bit savory and a bit sweet- and just perfect for a chilly evening. Harvest Casserole is also a great food for a baby who is just starting to experience combined tastes and textures. It was my son’s favorite food when he was 10 months old. (Of course, now he won’t touch it because it is all mushed together- more for me!) I love eating the leftovers for breakfast, too.

One of the first recipes I posted on Created To Be Paleo was our favorite Plantain Pancakes (here). Still a great recipe, but I have continued to tinker, and come up with what I am calling Version 2.0 (and knowing me, there will probably be a 3.0 someday.) They are just enough different that I thought a new post was called for.

I make up a few batches of these one or two mornings a week, and then keep them in the fridge or freezer for an easy breakfast. In fact, I make them so often, I don’t ever even have to reference my little scribbled Hello Kitty paper for the recipe to make them any more. Aurora likes to sit up on the counter and help me make them- she helps peel the plantains and runs the blender, then licks the yummy batter. My kids and husband love them with chocolate chips, but I prefer them with fruit, like strawberries, peaches, or cranberries. (They are pictured above with cranberries- a surprisingly fun combination of sweet and tart that I LOVE.) I love that they don’t require any added sweeteners, and that they are from our favorite ingredient, plantains, which makes them inexpensive, too. And because they don’t have any added sweeteners, they were a nice Whole Life Challenge compliant breakfast (or dinner) treat for me.

I’ve found that as long as you use approximately the same size plantains, it doesn’t really matter too much in terms of the final product- this recipe is very forgiving. And the riper the ripe plantain is, the sweeter the resulting pancakes will be.

Plantain Pancakes

2014-08-10 20:33:55

Yields 12

A delicious breakfast staple in our house. Make extra to grab later in the week. Try them with chocolate chips or the seasonal fruit of your choice.

Peel the plantains and cut into chunks. Add to a high speed blender along with the oil, vanilla, and ACV. Puree until a smooth batter is formed.

Add the chia seed meal and baking soda. Blend until well combined. If batter is too thick, you may need to add 1-2 Tbsp water.

Stir in any mix-ins and spoon by generous spoonfuls onto the preheated griddle. Use the back of the spoon to spread out the batter a bit. (Not too much though, the thicker they are the better they seem to reheat.)

Turn after a few minutes, when the edges start to look a bit dry. Cook until done, then enjoy!

Like this:

A few months ago I was waiting (forever!) to get some blood work done and Rachael Ray was on the TV. My ears perked up when I heard her talking about grilled lemons, and I started imagining what I could do with that amazingly mouthwatering idea. A little thought, and a look at my garden and the basil growing like crazy, and an amazing new recipe was born. The best part, is that it is so simple and easy, but the flavors will amaze you. I have shared this meal with friends several times, and they have been delighted with the results.

When you grill the lemons and the natural sugars caramelize, you have the most amazing combination of sour, sweet and smoky. Pair that with fresh basil and a whole lot of garlic, and it really is an almost sinful meal to enjoy and share. I chose to use chicken thighs, because they are so inexpensive and forgiving when you grill, but you could use chicken breasts as well. And just for fun. try grilling up a few extra lemons (on foil so they don’t get greasy) and try making a Lemon Vinaigrette or some Grilled Lemonade, sweetened with a bit of stevia or honey.

You can marinate the chicken ahead of time, so it is especially great for entertaining, because you just have to grill and serve, leaving plenty of time for chatting and sharing life together.

Lemon-Basil Grilled Chicken Thighs

2014-08-10 15:53:56

Serves 6

Tangy-sweet grilled lemons, fresh basil and garlic are a delicious combination when paired with grilled chicken thighs. You can marinate the chicken several hours, or even a day ahead of time, for a quick and tasty summer meal.

While you are grilling the chicken, place the lemons cut side down on the grill and cook for about 6 minutes, until the sugar starts to caramelize and the juices begin to run. Remove to a plate to cool.

When the chicken thighs are done, generously squeeze the grilled lemon juice over them and serve.

Aurora’s food allergies can be so challenging to overcome- all grains and legumes, plus tree nuts, eggs, and coconut (among many others.) It has certainly been an adventure to come up with fun treats that Aurora can eat and we can all enjoy. For her 2nd birthday, I really wanted her to have a delicious cake just for her. And because the girl loves her some chocolate, it had to contain plenty of chocolately goodness. This cake turns out so moist and tender, every bite deserves being savored.

As you probably already know, plantains are quite a staple in our household, from tostones and plantain chips, to quick breads and pizza crust, plantains have become our go-to base for many new experimental recipes. This recipe just a few minutes to whip up, and is equally good in cake or cupcake form. I make my own plantain flour by dehydrating green plantain slices and then grinding them in a high speed blender until a fine powder. You could buy some here, or try substituting coconut flour.

Heavenly Chocolate Cake from Plantains

2014-05-09 14:22:47

Yields 1

A delightful, allergy friendly treat for your next birthday party- or just because! This makes a delicious, tender, moist chocolately cake that will please even the pickiest eater.

Sometimes I feel such sadness for my kids as they navigate all of their food allergies and GI issues. They are already quite aware that they eat very differently than most of their friends, and we have already had some issues come up with birthday celebrations and playdates. A few weeks ago, my 4 year old son pulled the jar of Daddy’s peanut butter out of the pantry and asked if he could have some with his apple slices. (We were out of almond butter, which he loves.) I told him that he couldn’t eat it because he is allergic and it would hurt his body. When he asked why he was allergic I replied “because that is the way God made your body.” He replied in a very sad, subdued voice “I wish God had made me a body that can eat all kinds of food.” It broke my heart.

God didn’t create my childrens’ bodies so they could eat all kinds of food, but I am so very thankful that He did create them to be able to enjoy a wide range of healthy foods, and that He started to raise up awareness of the Paleo movement and its surrounding community right when we needed it the most. My kids eat a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, safe starches, fats, and healthy meats. And because of ideas from other Paleo bloggers and my own need to creatively meet my family’s nutritional needs, I have even been able to bring in occasional treats that nourish their bodies and comfort their sweet hearts. (I am also thankful that I don’t have the checkout line meltdowns when they see all the candy there!)

Jonathan is at an age where he understands when I tell him he can’t eat a food because he is allergic. Unfortunately, Aurora at age two, doesn’t understand, and will eat anything and everything she can get hold of, which can be really tricky at playdates and church.

Every kid loves pizza- at least in the US. And I have really struggled to come up with a pizza alternative that my whole family could enjoy together, without thinking about what is missing or different. It is a bit of a struggle to come up with a crust that is delicious, fairly close in texture, taste and substance to the original (wheat) version, and is dairy, egg, nut, soy and grain free. I have made it a couple times with my Chebe Bread Hack, but that gets a bit gummy. Before Aurora joined our family and we didn’t have a tree nut allergy to contend with, I adapted an almond flour pizza crust by Elena Amsterdam (from this cookbook.)

But it was definitely time to think way outside the box and come up with something that would work for a pizza crust for the whole family. As always, I circled back to our love of everything plantain, which I think must be one of the most versatile foods on the planet. We have really loved integrating this into our menu planning- it’s so fun to have a pizza night every once in a while! (In fact, Jonathan asked for it for dinner tonight.)

As an added bonus for my sandwich loving son (who has never had anything that could even remotely be considered sandwich bread), I discovered it makes a great sandwich bread. Great to have a “bread” we can use to make and take sandwiches for a picnic.

Plantain Pizza Crust or Sandwich Bread

2014-04-15 19:58:11

Serves 6

A delicious pizza crust or sandwich bread made from plantains. Soooo good!

Using a high speed blender, puree all of the ingredients together until a smooth batter is formed. You may need to add a bit more oil to get a smooth batter.

For pizza crust

Spoon about 1/4 C of batter onto prepared baking sheets. (I can usually get 4 crusts on a baking sheet.) Use a spatula to spread out into a small circle, about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick. (For a thin, crunchy crust, spread it thinner. If you like a doughier crust, spread it thicker.)

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly add toppings. Return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, until crust is cooked through and toppings are done.

For sandwich bread

Spoon all of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a spatula, gently spread it out until it is a uniform 1/8 inch thick.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Allow to cool slightly before cutting into sandwich bread.

Notes

Remember that you can control how crispy or doughy the crust is. Just spread it thinner or thicker according to your preference.

Because of my daughter, Aurora’s allergy, we don’t have fish as often as I like, but when I found some wild-caught flounder filets at a great price, I decided to give it a try. This is a quick and simple meal to prepare, but with the rich green of the kale, deep red of the dried cranberries, and the sprinkling of bacon on top it is a visually stunning meal to present to your family or guests. The first time I served this, my husband told me that he felt like he should have dressed up for dinner. And the same husband who doesn’t usually eat kale will gladly accepts seconds of this. We have had it many times since, and it has become a family favorite.

Feel free to experiment with different varieties of fish. We also really enjoy it with Swai, which is a lot more cost effective.

1 large bunch kale, stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces (you may want more kale, depends on how much you like it!)

1/4 C dried cranberries

1/8 C sliced almonds

1-2 Tbsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare the flounder filets by patting dry, sprinkling with salt and pepper to taste, and placing into a foil lined pan. If desired, drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown and fish gently flakes when pricked with a fork.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon pieces until crispy and brown. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to cool and crisp. Reserve the bacon grease.

Add the kale, cranberries, and almonds to the bacon grease in the hot skillet. Toss gently with lemon juice, and continue to cook until the kale is a bright green.

On each plate, scoop a generous serving of the kale mixture. Add a flounder filet on top, and sprinkle generously with the bacon pieces.

We love our plantains, whether green or ripe, and we have eaten them in pretty much every way possible. A while ago I had some ripe plantains growing ever riper and sweeter by the moment, so I thought it would be time to experiment, and we are so glad we did! I have gotten rave reviews from everyone I have shared a taste of this simple, sweet quick bread with. Even Jonathan, who as much as he loves plantains has consistently balked at any plantain baked goods gobbled it up. I love that there is no added sweetener- it is only the sweet, ripe plantains and the raisins that make this delicious, moist quick bread a sweet treat. Someone who tasted it exclaimed “It tastes like Christmas!” and for me it is a reminder of some of my favorite quick breads from my childhood.

This recipe calls for plantain flour, which I make myself by dehydrating plantains and then grinding them to a very fine flour in the blender. But you can purchase it here (although it is pretty pricey!) You could also try experimenting with some other Paleo-friendly flours, like coconut.

For a delicious variation that is just right for a birthday celebration, try substituting chocolate chips for the raisins. A definite crowd pleaser!

Sweet Plantain Bread with Cinnamon and Raisins

2013-12-28 11:03:32

Serves 12

A simple, slightly sweet quick bread that is sure to please even the pickiest eater.

Opt: salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, or any other spices you would like to spread on top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Add the Chebe mix to a mixing bowl. (Be careful, it is a very fine powder and will go everywhere!) Then add the carrot puree, oil, and water. Mix until well-combined. It will look a bit crumbly.

While the mixer is running, slowly add water until dough begins to form into a ball. (If you've ever made regular bread you will know exactly what I mean.) It usually takes just over 1/3 C water for me to get the right consistency.

Knead dough (with the mixer or by hand) until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

Divide the dough into equal sized balls. I usually do 6-8 when making flat bread, or 4 when making pizza crust.

Roll the dough balls out between two pieces of parchment paper, until about 1/8 inch thick. (You don't want to make it too thick or the resulting bread will be gummy.)

Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Prick each flatbread several times with a fork. Lightly brush top with oil. If desired, you can season it to taste with salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, etc.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until done. (It may puff up.) The bread will make a hollow sound when tapped. Enjoy immediately!

Like this:

A few days before Halloween this year, we were over at my Mom’s house to celebrate a birthday in the family. She gave each of the grand kids a sugar pie pumpkin and a tray of paints and told them to go to town decorating them, which they did with great gusto. She also told them we would be able to wash the paint off and be able to use them to make pumpkin pies.

Well, the day before Thanksgiving, Jonathan decided that we had to use his pumpkin to make pumpkin pie. So he spent a joyful half hour at the sink washing all of the paint off so we could make a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. I baked the pumpkin that evening, and early Thanksgiving morning the two of us got to work in the kitchen.

He helped me scoop the pumpkin flesh out of the shell to puree it in the food processor.

Then we got to work making our crust. He helped me measure and mix it, and then press it into the pie pan. We used this recipe for the Gingerbread Crust from PaleOMG. We pretty much followed the recipe, substituting coconut oil for the grass-fed butter. I would suggest lowering the oven temperature and watching the crust very carefully for doneness, since our crust was burned in a few places.

Then onto the filling, using our homemade pumpkin puree. We chose this Raw, No Bake Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Filling from Living Healthy With Chocolate, because it has chocolate, and I can get Jonathan to try just about anything that has chocolate in it! (I had serious doubts he would actually eat a regular, pumpkiny pie, and I really wanted him to eat and enjoy the food he had made.) It paired beautifully with the Gingerbread Crust, and set up nicely after a few hours in the fridge. (We also made a couple crust-less ones in ramekins, since his Nina tries to not eat too many nuts.) The only thing I would change here is to maybe add some mini-chocolate chips to the filling, but it was otherwise perfect and amazing!

Everyone in the family enjoyed Jonathan’s addition to our Thanksgiving feast! And most importantly, my super-picky eater loved it!

I had a delightful time in the kitchen working with my precious son. Usually I am so rushed trying to get meals on the table that it is hard to take the time having “help” in the kitchen requires. But I am so glad I did it that day! It is certainly a joyful memory I will always carry with me. I think I’m going to have to make my little chef an apron of his own. (I have a love of aprons- I got two new ones for Christmas!)

Comfort food. We all have favorite foods from our childhoods that remind of us of simpler, more carefree times. For me, one of my favorite comfort foods ever is Cube Steak & Gravy. It is simple and fairly quick to prepare, and most importantly, fairly inexpensive. (Which is probably why it is one of my favorite comfort foods- I think we probably had it fairly often because it was so cheap. I also love liver & onions for the same reason.)

I make it just the way my mama does, and serve it over mashed malanga, with some sauteed okra and summer squash on the side. A perfect meal that the whole family enjoys, especially me!